Solid Color Great Kilt?

[RadioKen]

Hello everyone! Well, Spring is arriving in North Texas and that means it's time for our local ren-fest, Scarborough Faire. This year my family will be working as participants rather than visiting as patrons, and so I decided that instead of my usual garb of doublet and tights I would wear the kilt. Naturally a great kilt is in order, but my wife is not at all fond of tartans.

So, my first question is this: How likely is it that the belted plaid was worn in a solid color, or even in an undyed state? Reason tells me that since tartans were sometimes chosen based on their appeal to the wearer, it is entirely possible that an individual might choose to wear a solid color and not a pattern. However, reason can sometimes be a slippery thing and while my supposition may make sense logically, the historical record may not bear it out.

My second question is: What is a good fabric weight, solid or tartan, to use for making the great kilt? I would prefer to make it from wool, but price and availability may require that I go with a wool blend or even acrylic.

Thanks very much!
~Ken

[Mr. MacDougall]

One of the oldest existing pictures of the belted plaid is in fact of a nobleman wearing a solid red kilt, so I'd say your chances are good.

[James MacMillan]

Since the fabric used was woven (threads going at 90 degrees) the color of the fabric is soley dependent on the color availability of thread.

Only one color thread - solid color fabric!

[Bugbear]

I would look for fabric that is a twill weave instead of plain weave, and I guess the lighter weights would be fine for what you're doing, but not too light... I personally wouldn't go with acrilic fabric. I guess it's up to what you like. Good luck.

Matthew A. C. Newsome's artical on the early kilt at this link might be helpful to you.
http://www.albanach.org/kilt.html
And he does have pictures of the painting of a solid color belted plaid mentioned by Mr. MacDougall.
Have a look around the site!

[beloitpiper]

I wouldn't be too worried about historical accuracy at a Renn Faire. Let's face it, belted plaids weren't from the Renaissance, so wear whatever color you want!

[gilmore]

Belted plaids came about long after the Renaissance was over.

[RadioKen]

I wouldn't be too worried about historical accuracy at a Renn Faire. Let's face it, belted plaids weren't from the Renaissance, so wear whatever color you want!

Yeah, I've definitely considered that. The earliest literary reference to a definite belted plaid is from - what? the late 1500's? So for a festival depicting the first half of the 1500's the great kilt might be a bit post-period, though I think it's close enough for most people to overlook it, if they are aware of it at all.

Okay, so I think there's a definite historical precedent for wearing solid color wools; red, at least, and probably other natural wool colors, like brown, off-white, black and gray. Uncommon, perhaps, but practiced nonetheless. What other solid colors might be correct? Like Beliotpiper mentioned, historical accuracy is played somewhat fast and loose at most ren-fests, so I'm not overly concerned as far as that goes, but I'd still like to go with something that I can feel is at least reasonably correct. If nothing else it will give me an informed answer to those who might criticize my choice to wear a solid instead of a pattern.

~Ken

[Nick the DSM]

Saffron would be a cool color to do and i think any fabric would do.

[Woodsheal]

Grays, browns, and tans would be your best bet. The Scots weaved (wove?) wool fabrics in these colors without the use of dyes by mixing natural colored yarns. Mixing black and white yarns yielded the famous "hodden gray" for example. Simple checked "tartans" were similarly produced with undyed yarns....

[beloitpiper]

Saffron would be a cool color to do and i think any fabric would do.

I was going to say saffron too.